Matt Adcock

Matt Adcock reviews Wonder Woman (12A, starring Gal Gadot

“I will fight, for those who cannot fight for themselves...”

Since a boy watching Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman on TV back in the ‘70s I’ve had a bit of a thing for Diana Prince – Princess of Themyscira. As a character Wonder Woman is both a potent symbol of female empowerment and a total babe. This big screen origins tale keeps both these elements in dynamic tension and in doing so manages to deliver a rip-roaring comic book adventure that kicks serious amounts of ass – proving that Diana is going to be a seriously valuable member of Justice League later this year.

Hailing from an all-female Amazonian island, daughter of god Zeus, Diana (Gal Gadot) is the chosen one whose idyllic is disrupted when Allied spy Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) crash lands in the ocean before her very eyes. Upon discovering her first ever man, and reeling from his tales of the Great War against Germany, she steps up to try and save the world from the nefarious General Erich Ludendorff (Danny Huston) and his evil scientist Isabel Maru – known as ‘Doctor Poison’ (Elena Anaya) who plan to win the First World War with their new gas weaponry.

Gadol is superb in the lead role - her battle-ready statuesque looks mixed with real heart and winning chemistry with Pine makes for compelling viewing. Diana is given a lot of chance to play havoc with the restrictions of being a woman in a ‘man’s world’, emasculating men who try and box her in and showing them what true valour looks like.

Director Patty Jenkins does a great job and brings some of the best superhero action scenes ever to the screen. The movie-stealing, iconic shot of Diana boldly advancing on the enemy lines through no man’s land under a hail of gunfire is a scene that deserves instant cult classic status.

The supporting cast includes David Thewlis as Ares, the baddie half-brother of Diana, Robin Wright as battle hardened Antiope - Diana's aunt and Lucy Davis as Etta Candy, Steve's secretary who gets most of the laughs.

The plot does include really emotional moments of the brutality of war which may disturb younger viewers but Wonder Woman is a positive film that will inspire females of all ages to stand up for themselves.

Wonder Woman fully lives up to her name – and delivers a must see for big screen adventure with wide appeal.